Officials had tried a number of means to disperse the ever-growing flock that had invaded the area, but everything from loud music to spikes on ledges had failed. So the city finally decided to try doping them.
A substance called Avitrol is now being slipped to pigeons in corn feed scattered on rooftops. When an animal ingests the substance, it causes a continuous firing of neurons that leads to rapid muscle contractions. Birds enter a convulsive state, which seems, in turn, to frighten other birds away.
The pigeons may be having quite a bad trip, but the city is very pleased with the results. "There is a minor [pigeon] population now," says John Hall, director of public office buildings. He notes a marked change from the days when city workers had to shovel the sidewalks clean of avian graffiti.
Some people, however, contend that Avitrol works so well it literally scares birds to death. Ward Stone, head wildlife pathologist for the state of New York, where Avitrol has also been used, argues that the substance is a poison and "should be banned."
Hall replies that the city insisted the contractor dispense only non- lethal doses. While acknowledging that where all the birds are going remains something of a mystery, Hall says he plans to continue ordering use of the hallucinogen.
